12 Activities for an Alternative Weekend in Singapore

If you’re reading this article, you’ve probably checked out Gardens by the Bay’s grandeur, admired the city skyline, and strolled along Orchard Road one too many times. We feel you! If you find yourself falling into this category, here’s an offbeat weekend guide that will come in handy the next time you think this lovely lion city of ours is getting boring.

Whether you’re a local or a foreigner, we promise these 12 activities will introduce you to a smashing and exciting side of Singapore you’ve yet to discover.

1. Actually STARGAZE in Singapore

Image credit: Woodlands Galaxy CC

No doubt this concrete mass we live in is sprouting with one too many high-rise buildings. But lo and behold, it’s actually possible to stargaze in this urban jungle! Few may be aware that in Singapore, there are a handful of sweet stargazing spots (including two observatories) where astronomy hobbyists often gather at to catch glimpses of constellations and star clusters.

So change up your Friday night routine this time, and join these stargazers for a celestial spectacle – definitely a night to remember.

Why swim when you can fly? Imagine the euphoria of jetskiing, cable skiing, and paragliding rolled into one. Check out Asia’s first and only water-propelled jet-blade/jetpack ride, which will rocket you over 10 metres above water!

Getting there: Ola Beach Club is located along Sentosa Beach Walk, a 10-minute stroll from Beach Station on the Sentosa Express.Price: From $80

3. Party the night away… in silence!

Raving it up at parties is no longer just about blaring music (and shouting to your friends over the thumping beats). One of the newest approaches to the party scene is the concept of Silent Disco, where party-goers can flick between different music channel genres on their own headsets, and groove to the tunes they select. These headsets are integrated with LED lights, which definitely amp up the dance floor atmosphere to a top-notch. So change up your Friday night routine this time, and join these stargazers for a celestial spectacle – definitely a night to remember.

If you’re too broke to travel, perhaps having a meal onboard Singapore’s first aircraft-themed restaurant can satiate your wanderlust, even for just a bit? SushiAirways offers its ‘passengers’ one of the most interesting gastronomical adventures, complete with ‘flight attendants’ and an ‘air crew’ that will welcome you on board. Besides the novelty of the restaurant’s dining concept, SushiAirways serves up some of the freshest sashimi to their guests, giving the Japanese food chains in town a run for their money.

Instead of being glued to your computer screen, why not game with the real deal using Virtual Reality? With over 20 VR games to (quite literally) immerse yourself in, V-room is one of Singapore’s few virtual reality arcades that have taken the gaming scene to a whole new realm. Choose from a variety of game options, from exploring the streets of Tokyo with Google Earth VR, to freeing yourself from a ticking time bomb, or even being the protagonist of your own horror story.

P.S. We’re warning you – you might get a little too addicted to this one.

Coney island is a 50-ha park most distinctive for its rich biodiversity, bird-spotting opportunities, and best of all – its rustic and incredibly photogenic forest-like setting. Now, this is that one place that you can convince your friends you’re in a Norwegian forest or something, when really, you’re in Singapore’s very own Punggol.

Tip: Best explore this nature wonderland with one of the free-sharing bicycles lying around!

Getting there: From Punggol interchange, take bus 84 to Punggol Point Park/Punggol Settlement. Walk about 500m east along the Punggol Promenade Nature Walk to get to Coney Island West Entrance.Price: Free

7. Top a gold-class movie experience – with a pool!

While plush sofas and champagnes on-demand sound like a great idea, nothing can beat a movie-by-the-pool experience. Catching blockbuster hits from an infinity pool, with free potato chips to go along with all of that? We’re sold.

This perfect Saturday night arrangement is ingeniously initiated under The Quincy Hotel’s Qool Weekend Staycation package, specially designed for couples looking to spice up their weekend with the usual shopping and dinner date. Besides snuggling up by the pool for movies, couples can also participate in novel activities like cookie making and art jamming!

Come next weekend, extend your rides in Singapore beyond just the MRT and buses, but to these friendly hoofed friends too! Equestrian, or more commonly known as horseback riding, is a leisure activity that’s totally feasible, yet many of us have overlooked. There are a handful of stables in Singapore that provide the public riding lessons, trail rides for non-experienced riders, pony feeding (n’aww), and even photoshoots with their horses!

Getting there: Find out more about the different locations here.Price: $20/adult

This hangout spot is the perfect place to be at if you’re sick of the usual cafe-hopping dates. Cosily nestled in Marina Bay, The Plant Story is a gardening workshop AND a cafe rolled in one. And if you’re wondering if this garden cafe serves anything more than vegetables, think beef lasagna, chicken mushroom baked rice, butter croissant, cheesecakes… Let’s stop before anyone reading this gets hungry.

The Plant Story offers a variety of workshops for its patrons – from urban farming to terrarium-making, home apothecary, and miniature gardening.

From art book fairs to architectural photography exhibition, DECK is an art gallery you can count on if you’re out of plans this weekend. This independent container art space is every photographer’s haven – not only for the ceaseless photography happenings and events being held there every week, but also as a platform for the local photography community to get together, inspire, and influence one another in their works.

If you wish to take music-hunting off Spotify for once, make your way to The Analog Vault, one of Singapore’s few vinyl record shops left standing. Besides vinyl records, this rustic store also offers analog music goods, books, and magazines relating to the widest spectrum of music genres – from your favourite local underground artists to experimental bands you wished you have discovered earlier.

For starters, Gudetama is not just an egg yolk. It’s everyone’s spirit animal. And good news is, this sullen character has come to life (albeit pretty morbidly in the form of edibles) at Gudetama Café Singapore!

Conveniently located at Suntec City, this 112-seater café is more than just a themed café, serving up food that isn’t just an Instagram bait but tastes pretty darn impressive as well. The café is even creatively decorated with waffles ceilings and egg-shaped tables and chairs! Gudetama fans or not, this is definitely an eatery to check out next.

Still think Singapore is boring? These activities aside, there’s still a wealth of unconventional, yet equally exciting activities for you to embark on in this thriving city! Ditch the guidebooks, stray off the beaten path occasionally, and be rewarded with such unexplored gems that are bound to pleasantly surprise you. And yes, you don’t have to take a flight out for your next weekend getaway anymore!